Dive Brief:

• Jumping on the resale trend, outdoor gear and clothing company Moosejaw is launching a recommerce program, ReTrail, according to an announcement emailed to Retail Dive. Recurate, a circular commerce technology company, will support the operation.
• Through ReTrail, customers can sell used items from their order history, upload product photos, describe the items and select recommended prices for the items. After Moosejaw authenticates and approves the merchandise to be sold on the platform, the company will provide prepaid shipping labels, according to the announcement.
• The company will not take a commission on sales through the platform, but it will compensate sellers with store credit, which they can use to buy new merchandise on Moosejaw’s website or stores, rentals or other used gear on ReTrail, per the announcement.

Dive Insight:

The rollout of Moosejaw’s resale program comes after Walmart acquired the brand in 2017 for $51 million, at which point it featured more than 400 brands like The North Face, Patagonia and Marmot. 

“For over 30 years, we’ve worked hard to bring the magic of the outdoors and the gear needed to as many people as possible,” Eoin Comerford, CEO of Moosejaw, said in a statement. “Through the ReTrail program, we are making it easier for our current customers to sell their gear and more approachable for new consumers to obtain gear. This program answers the rising consumer demand to incorporate eco-conscious habits into their daily lives.”

But as Moosejaw ventures into recommerce, other brands have also sought to generate sales from secondhand goods. Last July, Eddie Bauer tapped Arrive to help facilitate its (Re)Adventure resale program. Plus, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Public Lands introduced an in-store buyback program for outdoor gear in collaboration with Out&Back in April 2022. And earlier this month, Dick’s Sporting Goods also enlisted SidelineSwap to host in-person gear trade-in events, where customers can trade in their secondhand gear in exchange for store credit.

Besides generating revenue from used goods sales, retailers implementing resale programs may also see the added benefit of increased sales overall. A survey released in November from WD Partners found that 92% of survey respondents trade, buy and sell used items at least once annually. The survey also found that almost half of the respondents would be more likely to shop with a big-box retailer if they sold pre-owned items.